


trust truth and madness

by akubi (orphan_account)



Category: Gintama
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:15:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23970661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/akubi
Summary: Gengai's got a new machine and Gintoki chew more than he could take. "Be careful of what you wished for"(discontinued work, reupload for achive only)
Relationships: Sakata Gintoki/Takasugi Shinsuke
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> as i said in the summary, this is a discontinued work that was posted on fanfiction,net. there's only 3 chapters avaiable, but if you were to continue reading this fan fiction, i hope you would enjoy it.
> 
> have a good day.

**Chapter 1: Chapter 1**

What If?!

* * *

The clacking and clashing sounds of steel were hummed from the Karakuri Shop. Electric chainsaw sounds is resounding. It's a daily sound pollution, but lately, the sounds just came off from its key. It's more awful and ear cracking. Luckily, it is Obon festival days, so usually people are away from their home to visit their ancestor grave. The next door, Hasada and Wataru households come back to Nagano. The E.T. Hedoro goes to vacation. Otose and Catherine leave the Kabuki Chou yesterday to an Onsen and will come back this morning. The only creature that bothered with the sounds was 16 years old Samurai boy.

"It's noisier than before… I wonder what that's…" Shinpachi mumbled while sweeping the floor.

"It's the old man next door. It has been three days." Gintoki answered as he burying his face in last week JUMP. Kagura opened her Sukonbu and walking towards the two men.

"Gengai-san sounds so lively… I wonder what kind of machine he will make. But maybe he's someone that shut his mouth and goes straight to work." Shinpachi smiled.

"Ah, maybe just some unsightly trash as usual. By the way Shinpachi… did you fart or something? It is stinks! You should shut your ass too!" Gintoki replied, covering his nose.

"I didn't fart at all!" Shinpachi cover his nose too. Two of them slowly are looking at the china girl who happily eating sukonbu.

"Ne, Sadaharu needs to take a dump. Can we go outside, Gin-chan?" Gintoki faced a happy go lucky Yato and unwell-looking Sadaharu. The big fur ball face looks troubled and hurts. The unpleasant memory about Sadaharu take a dump in the house called back to Gintoki and Shinpachi. The neighborhood came to the house and complained. Gintoki almost being arrested due to the tons of complain from Kabuki Chou residents. The worst part was the dirty scent that can't be removed until three days. "I think he eats something unpleasant yesterday when I take him outside…" Kagura continued.

"The unpleasant one is my dirtied memory! Take him outside at once!" Yorozuya trio take off from that little house. Dragging the big Sadaharu to the town's outskirt is no easy job. When Sadaharu really had to takes a BIG dump, he don't want to runs or walks further from the neighborhood. In that case, the Yorozuyas have to push him by all might.

"Is it far enough, Gin-chan?" Kagura asked.

"Yeah, at least we're at the river." Gintoki catches his breaths. They stopped and let Sadaharu took the stinky part of life cycle out from him. By a mere coincidence, they stopped next to the Karakuri Shop. The clanking steel sounds are still resounding from the shop.

"Gengai-san, you seem livelier hese days." Shinpachi passing by and greet the elder. Behind him, the other trio walking slowly. Kagura is the only one who is accelerating her steps.

"Yeah, this project is important for me." Gengai smiled a pride smile. He's showing off the black steel box with microphone attached.

"Old man! New machine again?!" Kagura asks while pokes the interior of the big black steel. "How it works?"

"This machine is 'DreamCatcher X900', He can make all wish came true!"

.

.

.

"Sounds stupid." Kagura said spontaneously. "If there's a machine like that, this world will be called 'your mom's lap'."

"Kagura-chan! That's too harsh!" Shinpachi grab the girl to stop her insult. Gengai still grinning happily, despite the youngsters being rude towards him. "Huh, then leave if you don't believe this!" Gengai shouted at Kagura and Shinpachi. The glasses wearing boy looks a bit sad, he doesn't believe this machine function either, but old Gengai looks so confident this time. But by remembering the Kintoki Sakata's case, he would rather take off his hand this time.

"Oh, never mind us then. Let's go, Kagura-chan, Gin-san." Two kids can't really differ when an old man is being serious or not. But the other nearby man can disguise it, Gintoki walks to Gengai. The silver haired looks interested in this project. "Shinpachi, Kagura! You two can go home now. I'll stick with this old man longer." Gintoki said with his sly tone.

"Gin-chan, that's cheating! If you'll stay, we'll too!" Kagura yelled at the natural perm and runs her ass back to the store. Shinpachi sighed with a little smile and take a seat in that cramped place.

"So, what kind of wish will work? I would like to be a laboratory rat for free." Gintoki smiled a troll smile, waiting for a free little wish to be conquered. "I'd say, he can do your entire wish, I haven't tried it though." Gengai is being over proud again.

Gintoki examined the machine again. The so called 'DreamCatcher X900' is a black steeled cubical box with long antenna extended from its surface, two red buttons, and attached headphone with microphone function. "This machine will do what you want in a few seconds. All you have to do is record and say what you wish." Gengai explained.

"Wow, it's pretty convenient, Gengai-san!" Shinpachi complimented him. Gintoki smirked and asked the old man. "Then, we can be your laboratory rat for free, right?"

"Tch, you can for free. I'll give you three chances for free, then after that you've to pay me 100.000 Yen per wish!" Gengai smiled. "So, you better think what kind of wish it'll be first." He continued.

"Yahoo!~ 100 packs of Sukonbu for sure!" Kagura yelled in happiness.

"Kagura-chan, you should think something beyond that…" Shinpachi commented.

"Shut up, Shinpachi, do you even have anything worth to wish for?"

"Let's see… family's Dojo restored, Otsu-chan's new photo book, Otsu-chan's limited edition Christmas CD and DVD, then, Otsu-chan's…"

"Rubbish." Kagura said back. Shinpachi is about to slap Kagura in face, but another old man voice distracted him, Gengai, and Kagura. It's Gintoki, already using the headphone and recording his voice. "I WANT A STRAIGHT NATURAL HAIR!"

"Uwaa! The first chance is wasted on something useless!"

"Gin-chan! Yokatta, you'll have a straight hair!" Kagura shouted at the Silver Samurai. Gintoki puts the headphone away and smiled. "How's my hair now?" He asked.

"Uh-uh, it's same as usual one… natural silver permed hair." Shinpachi said in a straight face. Gintoki's hair is still the same fluffy natural permed silver hair. Gintoki took a mirror and see that fact. Nothing changed… "Oi! Old man, what kind of joke it is?!" He snapped.

"Nope, the machine will not conquer something like that. He can't materialize object to be real. To cut the story short, you remember Kintoki's power to change memories? It's like that, it can only change the other's think about a case, but can't bring the appearance to a real one." Gengai explained.

"Pa-pardon?"

"Example: this Pachi boy wants to be a 180 cm Oguri Shun. If he wished to this machine, his body will not change, but the other person that knows him will think him as a 180cm Oguri Shun. But after meet him, the others will see the truth that he isn't a 180 cm Oguri Shun. So it's a manipulation of memory." Gengai said.

"Why me?! Why I want to be a 180 cm Oguri Shun?! Why I've to be one?!" Shinpachi protested.

"Umm… It seems no use for us… I mean, it's like told a lie to myself…" Kagura said in low tone. The little girl is right since the machine will make the user know, but the others party blinded by the lie. "…But, we still have to use this machine to see if it's work, right? We'll try it again!"

Gintoki uses the headphone again. He pushed the small first red button to record the 'wish'. He laughed for a bit, but Kagura and Shinpachi doesn't get it. "What's so funny?" They asked. Gintoki shook his head and smiled.

"I hope everyone will not found out that I'm the one who eat Otae's Bargain Dash." Yeah the typical trolling smile.

.

The yorozuya trio leaves the Karakuri Shop. The sun is already set, so Shinpachi go back to his house before his sister could annihilate his stomach tonight.

"Let's go, Gin-chan!" Kagura grabbed the man's hand and pull him to run with her.

"Ah! Kagura, wait, I've to buy the newest JUMP!" Gintoki stopped at the convenient store. As soon as the silver haired man walked through the sliding door, Kagura grabbed his hand from behind. Kagura smiled.

"Gin-chan! You don't have to, He is already bought it!"

"He?"

"Yup! He must be at home right now. We shouldn't make him wait any longer for us!" Kagura pulled Gintoki to walk with her back home.

"Wait, did you mean Shinpachi?" Gintoki is puzzled as hell. Who's he? Gintoki knows whether Kagura and Shinpachi don't want to buy JUMP for him. Kagura smiled again.

"Ah, Gin-chan, you've to cook the meal for three of us tonight. Why don't you shop some groceries?" Kagura pushed Gintoki's back to the convenient store. He still confused. He took a glance at Kagura who was waiting outside with joyous feelings around her. In the end, Gintoki decided to buy vegetables, eggs, and fish with him. Gintoki still curious about this fourth person existence, maybe something correlate to his wish before.

As his mind wandering around, they already arrived at the second floor of the Otose's snack shop. When Gintoki opened the door, Kagura rushed in and look for someone. She yelled from the living room. "Gin-chan, he is still not here! We can give him a little surprise! Hurry up and cook!"

"…Yes, yes…" Gintoki stepped in and found something strange on the living room, a new JUMP issue with Naruto on the cover. But he doesn't remember anyone in his household buy it earlier. 'A JUMP fairy?!' He thought. 'I see, a fairy must be come and see how much I love JUMP and give me the newest issue for free! Thanks much JUMP fairy!~'

"Gin-chan!" Kagura's voice pulled him back from his inner world.

"Ye-yes?" Again, Kagura smiled an unusual too happy smile.

"Hurry and cook!" Gintoki nodded and went to his pantry with the groceries. He sliced the fish neatly and makes a standard Japanese meal; miso soup and fried fish. As Kagura asked, Gintoki make portions for three for tonight meal. Still he can't get any clue, who is this third party? Again, JUMP fairy thing cannot solve this and so far, no character beside Kagura and Sadaharu that live with him (except stalker Sacchan that loves to hide in somewhere weird, and Madao and Katsura who likes to rob the food from his house.) So the man just gives up and reads the newest issue. After a few pages, a striking loud Kagura's voice heard. "Okaeri! Come on, Gin-chan just cooked a full course!"

"Oh, is that so? I wonder if it is taste sweet… like him." A man voice, a deep one. Gintoki feared his own ear.

"…Did he just say 'like him' in the end?! Just what kind of relationship that I built with this man?! Is he an alien that loves licking his friends, and said tasted sweet is mean a good friend?! No, that's fucking creepy. Is he new Kagura's pet that likes to taste his master? But what kind of pet that can talking and welcomed by his master! It's definitely a person, a human being, breathing Homo sapiens. So maybe he's someone that likes to lick people and that's the way he making friends? No, that hypothesis is wrong too, let's see, if we've two people that like to taste each other… based on the study that I've done in my life… huh? An essay prompts? ..." He whispered with his face covered by the JUMP. Gintoki can't lie to himself, he clearly heard that.

"Ha ha ha, you're as straightforward as usual, aren't you?" Kagura giggled.

"Kaguraaaaaaaaa! Don't just laugh at it! What the meaning of this shit?!"Gintoki screamed in his inner, even more desperate than before. The more steps are coming closer to Gintoki, the more he hides behind the newest JUMP.

"Oh, looks delicious! Wait for me, I'll change." The mysterious man is going into Gintoki's room, Gintoki can feel it. He is more and more scared to put the JUMP down.

"Eh? Gin-chan? Why are you glued your faced with the dumb book like that?" Kagura asked.

"Oh, Kagura-chan, this is for a better view of this page! Wow, look at those scratches on the paper!" Gintoki said with a sweaty desperate face. Kagura's hand slipped through the pages and pulls the JUMP off with her Yato's power. She frowned with her 'don't fuck with me' face. "Ha ha ha, I just kidding, Kagura-chan…" Gintoki said with a flat frightened tone.

"Sorry for the wait." The man comes out from Gintoki's room. He wears a dark green yukata that slightly exposed his collar bone. He is slightly smaller than Gintoki, but has a well-built body. Dark purple hair, a bandaged left eye, and his right green olive dazzling eye. Kagura smiled and saying his name out loud, "Shinsuke! Come on, hurry up!"

"No way…" Gintoki muttered in disbelief. "Takasugi?!"


	2. Nobit gave Doraemon Problems just by Wishing

Chapter 2 

Nobita gives Doraemon ton of problems just by wishing

* * *

"Ta-takasugi?!" Gintoki stuttered. He dropped this week JUMP magazine in suprise. Takasugi kneeled down and picked up the comic magazine.

"...You usually treasure this like an idiot, Gintoki." The purple haired man chuckled, then gave the magazine back to Gintoki's lap. He came closer to the other man, staring into crimson eyes of Gintoki.

"W-what?" Gintoki went further back, pushing his own back to the sofa's leather skin. 'This is absurd! Why of all people he is here?!' Gintoki thought. He brought up his courage to ask the purple haired man. "T-takasugi, why are you here?"

Gintoki can see, when he asked that question Takasugi's pupils are both constricted. Both men just staring into each other eyes in disbelief. Just when Gintoki want to run from the answer with his usual 'no, just joking' tactics, Takasugi answered, unfortunately with another question.

"Are you drunk?" He says as he walking back to his seat. Gintoki's mouth is gaping wide in shock. As his eyes saw how Takasugi just casually smiling, smile that once he saw in past memories. Kagura back to the dining table, bringing the bowls. She passes the bowl, but as usual she casually eat the rice from the rice cooker directly. "Shinsuke! Gin-chan! You two take your rice portion first, so I can eat!" Kagura laughed.

"Sure." Takasugi take his portion of rice and start to eat. Gintoki didn't say anything and eat as fast as he can. He can't stand the thought of together with Takasugi in the same room, to the old comrade and latest enemy. First was the mysterious new JUMP magazine, then Takasugi's appearance in his house and now Kagura is acting all chummy with the guy. Gintoki can't think of anything but, _‘_ _It must be a dream!_ _’_ He convinced himself.

"I want to sleep early, Kagura you clean up the dishes today, okay?" Gintoki said as he went to the bathroom. The silver haired just want to be drowned alive and choked out from this rather absurd dream of his—but he didn't remember about falling asleep on the way home. But then the other man interrupted in.

"Gintoki, today's my turn to cleaning up remember?" Takasugi said, putting down the chopsticks signing that he is too done with the dinner.

"A-ah, I see... so then I'll leave it to you, Takasugi. Ha ha ha..." Gintoki left to the bedroom with an awkward laugh. Takasugi frowned, as he thought something is wrong with Gintoki. Usually, the silver haired man called him with his given name. Since that day and on, Gintoki calls him Shinsuke, period. _‘_ _This is not right... Something is wrong with him.’_ Takasugi thought

"He has been acting that way since this afternoon. " Kagura snorted while leisurely trying to finish the food. Takasugi exhaled an 'oh' and waited for the young girl to continues. "Shinsuke, Gin-chan doesn't remember you." She said in slightly disturbed tone.

"What do you mean by that?"

"He acting as if there's only me and Sadaharu accompanying him in this house. Whenever I said a thing about you, he asked back... Acting as if he doesn’t know your existence." Kagura pouts. Her blue irises are teary, she forces out her shaky voice cord to continue. "I- I thought you two gonna break up..." The child didn't want another experience of being left alone by her family member. Takasugi pats her back and keep her head close. For a moment, Kagura concerned if she made the older man sad by her sentence. But to her surprise, Takasugi chuckled, a loud one. He smiles and points his index finger at his own head.

"Knowing that idiot, he probably hit his head or something." He said, lifted the atmosphere around. Kagura giggles and sweeps her tears out of her face.

"Sure thing, he probably stumbled and hit his head!" Kagura stands up, pumping her fist up in air. She's grinning wide. Then she yells as if stating a battle cry towards an unseen enemy, "I won't let a damn amnesia make you two to break up!"

Takasugi smiled, "We won't break up that easily. We stuck to each other after all."

But Takasugi would be lying if he's not concerned the slightest about Gintoki's changes today. His own memory seems vague, and he kept getting headaches since this afternoon. But he knows for sure...

One thing.

.

.

Gintoki should know how cheap the rent of his house is. He should know how thin the wall is. He should know that he can easily—accidentally— eavesdrops to the conversation in the dining room.

It's not that clear at first as the voices collides with the water sounds streams from the pipe. Gintoki ignores it, slipping his naked body into the half filled tub. He slaps and pinched himself and it's still hurt. Slumped his white colored flesh further down to the warm water.

_'So this is reality after all.'_ he thought. He can feel the fog rises up and his sweat being cleansed off shore. As much as he trying to untangle this event, he can't resist the comfort the warm water gave him. At least he’s alone here and no one can disturbed his peace state of mind. No one but sounds of giggles. He heard more giggles from the other room and the sounds of water falling to the tiled floor.

_'Oh, it is full already.'_ Gintoki gazed to his surroundings and turned off the switch as the water is sufficient enough for him. And at one moment, he regretted it.

He should have known that he prefers striking sound of waters than this line yelled to him.

The voice is crystal clear. It's Kagura yelling at the top of her lungs.

"I won't let a damn amnesia make you two to break up!"

_'Break up?!'_ Gintoki thought immediately. _'Who's dating who?! W-wait maybe Kagura means break up as in breaking each other up?! Like we're gonna fight after 1 month of training like Jo*eph Jo*star from Jojo's Mediocre Advanture_ * _, ah right that must be it!!!'_ Even though he wants to deny it, it's all clear. He’s not that stupid after all, but he still didn’t see this one coming. His legs are shaky with little tremors. As he reached for the soap container, he puts his weight to it, grabbed as if he would fall in any seconds. He rubbed the soap quick, cleaning himself.

_'It can't be! It can't be! It can't be!’_ Gintoki screams in his mind, ranting where anyone couldn't oppose his opinion. _'That freaking Yakut drinking terrorist and me?! Dating?! Hey, hey, we're trying to kill each other each time we met, are you referring to 'Stabbing' instead of 'Dating' here?!!'_

He grabbed the towel, drying himself and bundled his lower half in the white towel. Confused still with the chain of events, but he can't deny the pieces so far leads to one conclusion; he and Takasugi are dating and living together in this very house. He shakes his head, denying the clues once again. _'No, it's stabbing after all, not dating.'_

If Gintoki is insane enough, he would choked himself and hoped God would crushed this unfunny reality of his. Gintoki Sakata is far from normal, and some could tagged him with word 'crazy'. But dear God, fortunately he is sane enough and can't leave that easily. Image of Kagura and Shinpachi rolling in his head. He still has someone to protect, he can't disappear yet.

If he has to live in this mad dream to protect what he dears, then so be it.

"Shit, God, what're you trying to pull?" Gintoki mumbles as he entering his bedroom.

In the room, Gintoki doesn't even bother to turn the lights. He is so confused. Only stray moonlight lit up the dark room. Gintoki changed into his green pajamas. He still want to think this one day as a dream, but he can't. The man sit on the bed, thinking.

All he knows was this chain of bizarre incidents started when he leaves Gengai's store. Then he realized something, a thing he should have noticed.

"W-wait, what if..." Gintoki mumbled. Suddenly the sliding door to his room opened, it was no other than Takasugi. Surprised, Gintoki screamed. "What the?! Takasugi, you'll sleep in my room?!"

"Let me correct that. Did you mean our room, Gintoki?" Takasugi said. He then step closer to the other man. Gintoki backed up, but can't move any further because of the small room. Takasugi grabbed the other man's arm. "You're acting weird today." He asked, concerned.

"Takasugi, you're the one who act weird." Gintoki's face is slightly disgusted. He might know the source of the problem today, but he can't make the connection. Before Gintoki can move his arm from Takasugi's grab, the other man topped him. Takasugi put his left leg right beside Gintoki's waist level, kneeled.

"You usually call me Shinsuke." The purple haired man was about to say that. But Takasugi clenched his grab tighter, retreating his words. He just sighed a bit then let go of Gintoki's arm. Takasugi rolls to the side of the bed.

_‘_ _What was that?! Now he is laying beside me??’_ Gintoki screamed in his mind. He faced the other side, back to back with Takasugi. The silver haired still trying to figure out this situation. _‘_ _This is absurd. As if, as if me and Takasugi are... love–no! Room mates_ _!_ _Y_ _eah, why_ _else_ _are_ _we_ _sharing room like this_ _?_ _Did my wish made Takasugi into a freeloader like Kagur_ _a?_ _H_ _a ha ha_ _,_ _t_ _hat must be it!’_ Gintoki is brainstorming, trying to refuse the least unfavored choice. Suddenly he felt something creeping up his hand. More like his fingers intertwined with something. Trapped another fingers. When Gintoki looked up what's going on, he found out his least favorable option. Takasugi grabbed Gintoki's hand.

"...You still remember me right? Gintoki." The voice Gintoki rarely hear from the other man, such gentle voice, not like his usual raspy deep voice. The night is cold and sharing bed and blanket doesn't make it any better. The warmth spreading to each other's hand, Gintoki was about to let his hand go, but Takasugi tighten his grasp, intertwines his fingers closer to Gintoki's. It's like each finger screamed to Gintoki that he can no longer run from the trap. The trap called Takasugi Shinsuke.

"Of course, I remember. You're Takasugi Shinsuke, we fight together in the joui war. Although we're not that close... I think..." Gintoki said while still trying to get away his hand.

"...Then, why you are avoiding me?" Takasugi grasped Gintoki's both hands, forcing the other male to faces him. The dark purple hair shines from the emerging moonlight, grazing his olive eyes. Gintoki avoiding those eyes, looking down to his own chest. Takasugi sighed, but then speaks in a lighter tone. "So what Kagura says is true..."

"Eh?" Gintoki looks up.

"You lost some your memory. Did you hurt you head or what?" Takasugi chuckled while pats the other male's head. He smiles, a gentle rare one. His arm trails down Gintoki's cheek, then down to his jaw. Firmly grabs the silver haired man's chin. Then finally, Gintoki saw the one he usually sees, a grin. Takasugi whispers right upon the other man's lips, "I'll help you remember me, Gintoki."

"W-wait!" Gintoki shouts, while struggling out of the bed. For that instance, Gintoki decided to play along. "Ta-takasugi, I don't even remember why you're here living in my house! Calm your head, won't you!"

"I'm calm." Takasugi smiles. "I just want a little kiss, as usual."

"Kiss?! W-wait, you are saying—" Takasugi cuts the others sentence, shutted out Gintoki's mouth with his lips. Gintoki remembers this kind of kiss, when he was an immature brat. Rough, forcing, dominating kiss. Swayed for a second, Gintoki didn't lift a finger, unconsciously leaving gap open between his lips so the other party can jab his tongue in. The connection that supposed to be left behind a long time ago, come back crawling on his hind. The silver haired picked up his breath, gasped.

Takasugi lets go, a small trail of saliva bridges from one lips to another. The bandaged man grinned, "Silly Gintoki, you clearly remember." The silver haired cheeks flushed red to his ears. He stuttered, "Shut up, if you do that again I'll kick you out!"

"Okay, okay..." Takasugi paused. He hugs Gintoki, place his head deep towards the other chest. Sharing each other warmth. "But this thing won't hurt."

"Won't hurt, my ass! You're as arrogant as ever!" Gintoki knows this warmth of the other man. Long time ago, when he was immature as ever and so is the other party. But it ended already. Died and burnt down by war and swords. Faded as the sounds of cicadas gone from summer. Once the petals fallen to the ground, it can't make a great flower blossoms again.

But even rotten petals can help the same plant to grow.

"See, you remembered how selfish I am." Takasugi cupped his hand to Gintoki's cheek.

"Seriously Takasugi..." Gintoki sighed. He can't keep getting swayed by, he can't let the old hurting love crawling back again. But he is determined to conceal the mistery of why his wish make this situation happened.

Then he’s back to the thought he got before.

Yes, Gintoki has figured one possible cause of this chain reactions.

His very wish.

...No, not the wish about getting natural straight hair.

His other wish the silver haired man kept hidden from the world for a long time. A little selfish wish about fixing one’s mistake. A wish that needs one that can turns back time or making miracle. A wish that he thought died with his past love and war is alive somewhere deep in his gut, his heart.

For Gintoki it was just another hot jobless summer day. Another routine with Sadaharu, Shinpachi, and Kagura with their playful skit. He’s not paying that much attention at first, but his pupil dilated as he heard the following sentence.

"This machine will do what you want in a few seconds. All you have to do is record and say what you wish." Gengai explained.

When Gintoki first heard about the machine's function, he can't help but thought of that one. About his dearest mentor, Shouyo Yoshida. _'Any kind of wish you said?!'_ He echoed Gengai's explanation in his mind.

"Then, we can be your laboratory rat for free, right?" Gintoki initiated, he knows the old man needs a lab rat sooner or later. As the genius old man agreed to the proposal, Gintoki can't hold his feelings. His needs of salvation. Even if it's artificial one, he needs it.

He still can't let it go after all, he wants to correct his past. The past where he's nothing but trash that can't save his own mentor. Without any hesitation he use the machine. The buttons and microphone are simple enough for him to figured how it's work. He whispered, calmly asking. As if begging to his mother—not that he remembers anything about her. Gintoki can feels his eyes teared up and the gaze Gengai's gave him. The old man snickered thin as if he saw his old self—the one that can't let go of his past in Gintoki. But that kind of thing can't be changed by none other than the person itself, so Gengai just let that one slip and focused back to the teenagers dispute.

Gintoki inhaled deep but the whispers he lets out is clear enough for the machine to be processed.

"I hope, in the Joui war, I can save Shouyo Yoshida."

The silver haired samurai is trembling, he can't blink in any seconds from now or the tears he build up would fall.

_'It would be very embarrassing if Kagura and Shinpachi noticed it.'_ Gintoki gazed to the teenagers and grinned when he saw the silly argument between those two. _'Well, I have to calm them. In my own way, of course.'_

He inhaled deep once again, shaking his tears out and yelling out loud. Making it as comical as he should, so that no one could notice his tears. "I WANT A STRAIGHT NATURAL HAIR!"

"Gin-chan! Yokatta, you'll have a straight hair!" Kagura shouted at the Silver Samurai. Gintoki puts the headphone away and smiled. "How's my hair now?" He asked.

"Uh-uh, it's same as usual one… natural silver permed hair." Shinpachi said in a straight face. Gintoki took a mirror from Gengai’s workspace and saw his own fluffy silver permed hair. Nothing has changed… and his thought is gathered to the wish he made beforehand. On the one side he's relieved that he receives no false salvation, but on the other hand he's disappointed. He's now though leaning to the latter side. "Oi! Old man, what kind of joke it is?!" He snapped.

"Nope, the machine will not conquer something like that. He can't materialize object to be real. To cut the story short, you remember Kintoki's power to change memories? It's like that, it can only change the other's think about a case, but can't bring the appearance to a real one." Gengai explained.

"Pa-pardon?" Gintoki understand, but asked anyway. His ears deaf to any sounds and his fingers numb and heavy, can not be lifted by force. He found one way to reach his salvation, but it's all one but a liar's machine. He is the liar, and his precious little wish turned to a lie as soon as he hoped for it.

Even it's the dirtiest way to his salvation, to seek forgiveness of the past, he wanted it.

He seeks for it.

But Gintoki's dark mind shattered by the clear voice of the girl.

"Umm… It seems has no use for us… I mean, it's like told a lie to myself…" Kagura said in low tone. Hearing that Gintoki can't help but to smile. If he wants salvation, he had to worked for it using his own hands not by relying to some machine. Kagura's word helped him realized that.

_'I need no lie to seek forgiveness.'_ Gintoki thought, closing his eyes slowly in peace. _'The past is long gone. I can only look forward.'_

Gintoki thought he learned his lesson, he thought that hidden sentimental moment wrapped up the problem about his wish. He thought that episode of getting sad upon a damn wish is just a filler episode, but no, it's evolved to a freaking arc! Furthermore the wish somehow lead Takasugi Shinsuke to live with him.

Gintoki swallowed his saliva. He pushed back the other man away from hugging him but keep the man at one arm distance. At that moment, Takasugi noticed the fiery gaze from the permed. The burned crimson eyes in flaring red looking at him like a beast contradictory from his silver hair and his pale white skin. Takasugi knows some people referred Gintoki Sakata as 'Shiroyasha' because of his all white clothes and the red blood tainting it in the war ground. But Takasugi calling him as 'Shiroyasha' because of that gaze, that burning glare and his deadly crimson eyes. Takasugi lets a genuine smiles out, something is ripen and he's merely inches from getting it. This sensation is real, not like his headache-inducing vague memory. Takasugi can't help but wanting the other man's warmth. He holds back before because he's trying to be considerate. But seeing the passionately burning crimson eyes lit a fire in his marrow.

_'Feels like I_ _haven’t_ _touched_ _him for years.'_ Takasugi thought. He wants to touch the supple lips, but his hand movement quickly stopped by Gintoki's word.

"I want to know what happened between us." Gintoki continues, "Tell me what happened in the war until now."

"The war?" Gintoki nods in confirmation.

"...Can we saves it for tomorrow?" Takasugi answered. Gintoki quickly cuts with a 'why?' but Takasugi ignored him. "Just sleep for now, you'll hurt your head the more you think."

They stared each other for a moment. Takasugi lay down and chuckle, "come here." He opened his arm wide. Gintoki mumbled something but let his body down to the white bed anyway. He keeps his distance to Takasugi, but when the bandaged man moves closer and hugged him from behind he didn't do anything. As their finger intertwined, Gintoki didn't lift any, just let them lay relaxed.

Gintoki thought the flower died in the end of summer, burnt in the war and buried in the pile of corpses. He thought all petals are shattered already.

He knew he was wrong, but choose to be ignorant about it.

-to be continued-

* * *

Free Talk

  * * It’s Joseph Joestar from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure.



Meanwhile Jojo’s Mediocre Adventure is a pun in Japanese, where the original title is ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 read as Jojo no Kimyou na Bouken, and the pun changed it into ジョジョの微妙な冒険 read as Jojo no Bimyou na Bouken. The character 奇妙な means ‘bizarre’ or ‘strange’. The character 微妙な means ‘subtle’ or ‘not as good’ or in short ‘mediocre’.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 –

Chirping birds and fresh food's smell is something soothing for most people to start a day. For some it will be perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. Well in Gintoki's point of view, a perfect morning is when he could smack down the alarm clock without getting up and start his round 2 of more sleeping and rolling around the bed.

But that perfect morning is not today.

As much as he wanted to fall asleep again, he can't. Not when Takasugi is lying beside him and holding his waist close. Gintoki shrieks, squirms, and wiggling his body side to side and slip out from the bed. His deep sleep made the silver samurai forgot about the other man's existence.

'I -I totally forgot about him!!!' Gintoki glanced at the clock, it is still 7 am. Shinpachi usually visit at this hour, waking Gintoki up with frying pan or broom. Instead of finding the glasses-bearing-teenager barging into the room, the silver haired founds a human shaped shadow in front of his door. It's a bit dusky, but Gintoki can see the fair quivers from the shadow. Without thinking any further, he opened the door.

There standing Shinpachi with face as red as tomato. His eyes become cat eye like and he's stuttering, "Gi-Gin-san, good morning."

"What are you doing?" Gintoki said flat with deadpan eye. Shinpachi gulped.

"I thought I've to wake you up, but since Takasugi-san also here... uh-oh..." Shinpachi glanced back and forth, he's too embarrassed to say it. He is pointing out at Gintoki's exposed chest, there's some red mark (from Takasugi's bad habit of hugging him and made few red pressure marks here and there.)

“Eh? Shinpachi-kun, these aren’t...” Gintoki said, trying to get Shinpachi disembark the train of thought there.

"Gin-san, I understand. I mean... I don't want to see the aftermath."

"No! No! No! We're not doing anything, Shinpachi! Don't let adults imaginary tainted your virtue!” Gintoki screamed, shaking the teenager's shoulder.

"No, being in this series pretty much has removed away my virtue." Shinpachi said unfazed, calmed down the man. "But Takasugi-san is a nice person... and I thought it will be rude of me to—"

"N-nice person?" Gintoki muttered in disbelief. Forgot about the memory changing ability from Kintoki, the machine Gengai's invented has freaking brain washing and personality changing ability. The Takasugi Shinsuke he knows has a personality far from your generic nice person. Takasugi was sarcastic, annoying with his prideful laugh, strong and a good fighter, it doesn't necessarily means he is evil—yes, he is but he had his reasons. He may be affected from the memory changes, but Gintoki didn't think it would changes the other's memory about one's personality too.

It's like a domino. When Gintoki create new 'fact' with his wish, it changed the turn of story entirely by adding another new lies here and there. 'I should ask the old man.' Gintoki thought.

"Well, it is bit vague on my part, but I’m sure he is a nice person." Gintoki notices how the teenager a bit unsure of his own word, but then Shinpachi brought up a pack of icy cold Yakult up. "He's giving us this, so he must be a nice person."

"No, it has nothing to do with personality change! He is a Yakult Halloween's mascot to begin with!! He just doing his missionary work by spreading the product!!!" Gintoki yelled.

"He isn't a salesman though!" Shinpachi shout back like their usual comedy routine. Gintoki shook his head to clear his thoughts. He remembered how Kagura act so friendly and is already in first name basis with Takasugi and seeing how Shinpachi calls him as a nice person give chills to his nape. Shinpachi shrugged his shoulder and smiled, "Gin-san! Now that you've raised earlier than usual, get dressed and work!" He nags.

"Also, Takasugi-san, good morning." Shinpachi nods a bit and left the corridor, walking to wake up another person in the house.

"Oh ...good morning." Takasugi rises up, blinking his eyes thrice. He looks straight at Gintoki “...Was that the glasses boy?”

“Huh? You didn’t remember his name?”  
  


“Uh-oh, I just remember you called him Shinpachi... Somewhere...” Takasugi can feel his head going round and round. Memories seems scattered around, blurry. In a midst of battle, there’s that red head girl and the glasses boy alongside Gintoki... Where is your sword pointing at? Who have you been fighting—

“Oi, Takasugi! Are you listening?” Gintoki shook his shoulder.

“Yeah, what is it?” Takasugi scratches his head, scowling.

“I need to go to Gengai’s place for a bit, but don’t go around to much okay?” Gintoki said while changing his clothes. He’s worrying about the effect of letting Takasugi interacting freely. Memories and bonds are things that should have taken care of tenderly. Gintoki knows what kind of man Takasugi Shinsuke is—no matter what will happens, someday their swords will clash against each other again. 

“What with you treating me like some kid? Anyway, I could do you a favor if you’re really busy today.” Takasugi redoing his bandage, covering the left cripled eye.

“What do you mean?” Gintoki’s brows raised. Creeping from his sides are ominous vibes. Dark, dark ominous vibes.

“I can handle today’s work.” Takasugi replied nonchalantly.

“What work?”

“? The Odd jobs, of course.”

“Eh.”

At that sheer moment, Gintoki knows for sure he can’t let this man stray on the road of Edo alone.

.

.

“Hah?! Are you kidding? A job from Shinsengumi?! Just yesterday’s noon they called?!” Gintoki snapped as he getting dressed. Takasugi opened his obi ties and getting undressed also. Weirdly enough Gintoki doesn’t seems to care the slightest about being naked in the same room even though he was going gaga over the thing yesterday, Takasugi shrugged at the thought. The purple haired man though, a bit fazed when he opened the dresser.

“You’re lucky. I was just got home yesterday and got the---” He realizes that the clothes there are all Gintoki’s size. Double checking, Takasugi puts on the slightly oversized Kimono on him. “Did you just throw away my usual clothes or something?”

“...Aaah”, Gintoki is lost at words. Quickly he fabricates an excuse. “Ah yeah, you know? When there’s cockroaches invasion?? We had to evacuate all of contamination and stuff you know???” He coughs nervously and look at the kimono Takasugi changed into last night. Gintoki inspects the inside of the kimono and found out that it is actually Shinpachi’s emergency sleepwear if he were to spent the night in Yorozuya. Before Takasugi can give any kind of retorts, Gintoki quickly said something, “W-well, probably your clothes is at the Shimura’s household right now? They do exorcist and stuff so just wait a few days okay? You can wear my t-shirt or something for now.”

Takasugi just blinked.

“Who the fuck is Shimura?”

‘ _God bless, he doesn’t know Shinpachi’s full name...’_ , Gintoki thought almost crying out of happiness.

“Well, I don’t mind. Anyway your clothes...” Takasugi said softly as he changed into the white kimono without the undershirt Gintoki’s wearing. “So you add color variation to it now? Back then you wear nothing but white or light colored palette”, he said referring to the black undershirt and pants. Gintoki quite taken back at the comment he was given. Gintoki is looking away from Takasugi. The other man couldn’t see anything but the subtle redness on Gintoki’s ears.

“You once said to do that after all.” Gintoki walks past Takasugi and left the bedroom, he don’t know what kind of face he would make if he looks straight to Takasugi. Any kind of responds Takasugi gave him will make his resolve weaker. ‘ _I decided to throw these all anyway. I don’t need these bonds just to lose it agai–_ ‘

But then he felt the hand behind him grasped his.

“Yeah­, I did.” Takasugi smiled then chuckles as he goes. “Glad at least you remembered something like that.”

As the purple haired walked him by to the dining room, Gintoki felt his heart has gone down to his knees. Dropped from an intense fall. Somewhat relieved and at the same time not. But he knows his heart is beating intense. Slouching down and resting his back against the wall.

“Silly.” Gintoki sighed, asking himself a rhetorical question. “Why did I said that even...”

.

.

Gintoki could feel the cold sweats running from his neck down to his back. It’s just the in front of his house, but he felt so nervous walking down the street with Takasugi (even more so when the man wear the same kimono pattern as his). “Ta-Takasugi-kun, on a second thought maybe you should be house sitting??”  
  
“Dumbass, who do you think I am? Your wife?” Takasugi chuckles and lits the pot of his kiseru. Gintoki can’t help but give another retorts to that. Their harmless bickering continues til they reached Gengai’s store. Being wary as the situation is complicated right now, Gintoki tried to cover Takasugi’s face when they reached the store. But the old man noticed them already behind the safety work mask.

“Ah, Gin boy and Takasugi too..” The old man greeted them as he lift the safety mask away.

“Gengai, it’s been a while.” Takasugi greets back.

“Yeah, since that time Gin and you stopped me..” Gengai’s reply bothers Gintoki a bit. ‘How far this lie got into such tiny little details?!’ Impatient in dropping sweats, he cut the conversation’s off.

“A-anyway, Gengai-san... Can I make a wish with that machine again?” Gintoki asked and laughed a little.

“Huh? You just using it yesterday, aren’t ya? We have a deal, Gin Boy” “It’s 500.000 Yen per wish from now on!” Gengai said confidently with an added smirk in the end. Money does run the world.

“Are you kidding me, Old man?!!” Gintoki yelled, almost felt like crying when he heard that. ‘I have to deal with this pain in the ass until I get that much money?! Yorozuya’s cash is barely holding by even!!’ He screamed in his head, but without his knowing he got pushed already by Gengai.

“Now, now, you two young men can gain that very easily if you worked hard.” The old man grinned, hiding the truth that he actually cancelled the idea to commercialized the service. But what an old man can do when a child is in a need. Of course though, he should make the kid learn the price of blunder. Slapping the demotivated perm head’s back, Gengai said as they go. “Money is a simple price to pay, kiddo. I didn’t know what you wanted now, but that machine is no toy. The payment was only to look if you’re serious or not about this.”

Gintoki couldn’t give anything but a nod in reply. He lifts up his face and not turning back. Takasugi trails behind him after leaving his usual smirk to the old guy. Gengai yelled at the two, “And Takasugi, take care of that permhead!”

“Shut up!” The old man can heard Gintoki’s voice from afar.


End file.
